Suspect arrested in armed grocery store robbery as state police search for second man
WILMINGTON, DE – A Wilmington man has been arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a neighborhood grocery store after detectives tracked down the suspected getaway vehicle one day after the crime.
Delaware State Police said the robbery took place Friday afternoon at La Oaxaqueña Grocery Store on North Maryland Avenue. Two suspects entered the store around 3:30 p.m. and demanded money from an employee. One of the men pointed a handgun at customers and staff, and investigators say he fired a single round when he lost his balance while reaching over the counter. No one was struck, and the suspects fled with cash and personal property before leaving in a dark-colored sedan.
Detectives later identified the getaway vehicle as a black Hyundai Elantra with Virginia registration. On Saturday around 9:00 p.m., Wilmington Police located the vehicle and stopped it. The driver, identified as 36-year-old Ignacio Reyes-Hernandez of Wilmington, was taken into custody and determined to be one of the individuals involved in the robbery.
Reyes-Hernandez was transported to Troop 2, where he was charged with first-degree robbery for displaying what appeared to be a deadly weapon, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, and second-degree conspiracy. He was arraigned and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $68,000 cash bond.
State police say the second suspect remains at large. He is described as a Black man between 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 5 inches tall, weighing between 200 and 230 pounds, and last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, black boots, and a black ski mask.
The Delaware State Police Robbery Unit at Troop 2 continues to investigate and is urging anyone with information to contact investigators or Delaware Crime Stoppers.
—
Key Points
- Ignacio Reyes-Hernandez arrested after police traced getaway vehicle
- Armed robbery involved gunfire inside Wilmington grocery store, no injuries reported
- Second suspect still sought by state police